Interested in joining the core working group?

Apply by Feb. 15, 2015

We are interested in having you join the EcoFutures core working group. This team will gather in spring 2016 through a series of online meetings to synthesize and prioritize submissions of challenges and opportunities submitted by ecology students. The working group will culminate with a full day workshop on the Sunday before ESA 2016. The goal of the working group is to identify the 50 top challenges we may contend with as 21st century ecologists and the 50 top opportunities we will be able to capitalize on in our careers and outreach to society.

What will I get out of it?

You get to contribute to envisioning the future of our science.

You will get to meet, interact with, and be inspired by other top-level students in ecology.

You will get experience in collaborative team-based scientific synthesis.

You will have substantial freedom to explore aspects of the initiative that particularly interest you and develop products you think will be useful.

What will be expected of me?

Participants of the core working group will be asked to work collaboratively with small groups and the plenary to think hard, discuss, reword, prioritize and synthesize across challenge and opportunity submissions and to actively consider how results of the exercise can be best used. We will also ask members of the core working group to assist in advertising the initiative, encouraging others to submit challenges and opportunities and to actively participate in the paper writing. We strongly hope all working group members will commit to attend the all day workshop Sunday August 7, 2016 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, the day before ESA begins.

What is the time commitment?

Interested applicants should be willing to participate in the project for a minimum of nine months from March 2016 - December 2016.

March 2016: assist with advertising EcoFUTURES and asking other students in your network to submit their top challenges and opportunities.

April-mid May 2016: Prepare for and participate in 8 hours of online meetings with the core working group. These meetings will include two plenary sessions and four meetings with sub-groups that will be organized on themes.

August 7 2016: Prepare for and participate in an all-day in-person workshop in Fort Lauderdale FL the day before ESA 2016.

How do I apply?

On our online form, please submit your CV and a 200-word description of why you are interested in participating and what you can contribute to the initiative. Click here to go to the application.

How will we select the team?

The ESA Student Section leadership team will select working group members based on merit, balance of talents and perspectives, and enthusiasm. We will endeavor to select a group that is representative of all student-ecologists.